"It’s comparable to Google Docs or a wiki, but it’s far more useful. You start off by creating a new workspace. You type basic text on numbered lines at will. Then invite someone else in and have them type as well. Each user’s edits are highlighted a different color. Changes are made in absolute real time, something even Google hasn’t been able to do (Google docs update every fifteen seconds). Users can also chat in the sidebar, save versions and make a few tweaks to the settings like removing line numbers. One great feature optionally highlights Javascript syntax (making this a great way to write code collaboratively)" - Paul Buchheit from Bookmarklet

Try it: http://etherpad.com/FQMBcRK9x2 - Paul Buchheit

Etherpad may be a new tool in the Real Time Web kit. Collaboration on a non-flow basis. - Cliff Gerrish

Interesting - wasn't sure if AppJet was a worthwhile platform - this makes me much more interested - Christopher Galtenberg

Getting this for your try it link Paul: "EtherPad is under construction ... Sign up to be notified when we're back" - Philipp Lenssen

Try again, Philipp (nice icon btw). I think their fail whale is that signup box (not a bad idea, actually) - Christopher Galtenberg

Now it works thanks Christopher (it shows me as being alone in that document right now though). - Philipp Lenssen

Nice, a little slow, but I guess they shouldn't be waiting for all this traffic... Should be a nice tool once it adds other wiki-like functionalities (I'm thinking tiddlywiki). - Paulo Gomes

Love the tiddlywiki shoutout. (When will that tech come back to earth? So much potential) - Christopher Galtenberg

Oops, system failure again. We think we found the problem though. A nasty deadlock issue -- but hopefully fixable in short order. - Aaron Iba

Cheers Aaron. It's a huge hit here. And wow, hello AppJet! Nice tech, amigo. - Christopher Galtenberg

An interesting experience, to have typing and the other party reading be simultaneous... it removes the safety buffer of having to hit return, and has a different feel to it. Your sentence is seen by the other person as you're typing, correcting, shifting it... like when you're actually speaking in a conversation, where you may also correct yourself, look for words, etc. - Philipp Lenssen

superb substitute for paste in IRC on-the-fly collaborative coding situations: revisions acts as "version control," and multi-color highlighting representing users even works intra-line. - Adriano

How is the real-time shared editing realized? Similar to http://www.vimeo.com/1195398 or http://www.youtube.com/watch... respectively? - Mustafa K. Isik

I do just want to point out that this functionality has been around for 25 years with UNIX's talk program. It is definitely not a new idea. - Robert Felty

Why stop there... Native Americans sent simultaneous smoke signals into the sky. And you thought they were innovators? Nope, just rank copycats. Birdsong. That's where it all began. - Christopher Galtenberg

Superb execution of an old idea is every bit as good as innovation; perhaps better. - kris. nuttycombe

SubEthaEdit. It existed years before Writely (Google Docs) and this web app is an almost exact copy of it. - Bill Strathearn

Bill, Wikipedia says "SubEthaEdit is a collaborative real-time editor designed for Mac OS X," so it's not a browser-based app? - Philipp Lenssen

That's right, SubEthaEdit is a native Mac app, so Mr. Strathearn is completely missing the point, as are most of the "this is nothing new, I used to do this with my 300 baud modem" crowd. - ⓞnor

Of course the platform is different, but the interface and functionality are obvious copies. http://bit.ly/P5Se. Given the large time-span between the two, I just expected a bit more innovation. - Bill Strathearn